cub en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /kʊb/ (Ireland, Northern-England)
- /kʌb/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
- (US) audio
Etymology
From earlier cubbe. Origin unknown. According to Pokorny, from Proto-Germanic *kubb-, from Proto-Indo-European *gup- (“round object, knoll”), from *gew- (“to bend, curve, convex, arch, vault”). Related terms include cup (cf. cupboard), coffin, cove, etc, essentially “chamber”, thus cub maybe initially derived from the sense “den”, or maybe “womb”. A probable cognate is also found in North Germanic: dialectal Swedish kubbe, kybbe, köbbe, kibb, Danish kippe (“calf”). Also compare Icelandic and Old Norse kobbi (“seal”), Old Irish cuib (“whelp”). Compare also English cob. Originally, the meaning was specifically "young fox", in which sense it has largely replaced English whelp.
Meanings
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The young of certain animals, chiefly large carnivorous mammals, including the bear, wolf, fox, lion and tiger.
a Childe of Lacedemon suffered all his belly and gutts to be torne out by a Cubbe or young Foxe, which he had stolne, and kept close under his garment, rather then he would discover his theft.
1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 32, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:
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(derogatory, humorous) A child, especially an awkward, rude, ill-mannered boy.
He had also kept with him two wild young wives and several wilder cubs.
1937, Ion L. Idriess, Over the Range, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, published 1947, page 118:O, thou dissembling cub! what wilt thou be / When time hath sowed a grizzle on thy case?
c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:
- (slang) A young man who seeks relationships with older women, or "cougars".
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(obsolete) A stall for cattle.
[...] I would rather have such a good mother in cub or kennel, than in my closet, or at my table.
1824, Walter Savage Landor, “Conversation XIII. Peter Leopold and President Du Paty.”, in Imaginary Conversations of Literary Men and Statesmen, volume I, London: […] Taylor and Hessey, […], →OCLC, page 193:
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Synonym of cub reporter.
Swain has interviewed 67 reporters on 16 metropolitan dailies in 10 cities — from cubs to veterans — who talk candidly […]
1978, The Journalism Quarterly, volume 55, page 652:[…] from competing publications and the editors of publications that might buy freelance material from cubs.
2018, Randall S. Sumpter, Before Journalism Schools:
- (slang) A furry character that is a child (i.e. under the age of adulthood).
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(abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, slang) Clipping of cub porn or cub art.
alt of cub porn or cub art
Ew, I didn't know he also drew cub...
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(Northern-Ireland, Ulster) A boy or young man.
A man who reared ten cubs and three cutties.
1993, Ray Givans, No Surrender, Castlecaulfield, Lapwing Publications, →ISBN, page 14:The point of the example is educational, moral, and the moral qualities of the stories attracted Peter Flanagan who remembered them from childhood and told them to the cutties and cubs when he was, for them, a funny old man.
2016 September 12, Henry Glassie, The Stars of Ballymenone, Indiana University Press, →ISBN, page 229:
- (slang) a younger (or younger-looking) "bear" type of man.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| cubs | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| cubbe | alternative, obsolete | lexicographic |
Coordinates
Deriveds
cubcam · cubbish · cubless · wolf cub · cubling · tiger cub · lion cub · cubhood · leopard cub · cub reporter · cublet · cublike
Synonyms
Translations (132)
fr lionceau (the young of certain animals) · grc σκύλαξ (the young of certain animals) · de Dachsjunges (badger) (the young of certain animals) · ja 幼獣 (the young of certain animals) · ar جَرْو (young fox) · io -yuno (the young of certain animals) · fi pentu (the young of certain animals) · sk mláďa (the young of certain animals) · it cucciolo (the young of certain animals) · fr renardeau (young fox) · te కూన (the young of certain animals) · mn бэлтрэг (the young of certain animals) · hu kölyök (the young of certain animals) · mt ferħa (the young of certain animals) · eo ido (the young of certain animals) · gd cuilean (the young of certain animals) · de Bärenjunges (the young of certain animals) · ro vulpan (young fox) · de Fuchsjunges (young fox) · fr see ourson (the young of certain animals) · xmf ბოთური (the young of certain animals) · km កូន (the young of certain animals) · grc σκύμνος (the young of certain animals) · de Löwenbaby (the young of certain animals) · it volpino (young fox) · ba төлкө балаһы (young fox) · pl szczenię (young fox) · de Junges (the young of certain animals) · pl lisię (young fox) · de Leopardenjunges (leopard) (the young of certain animals) · de Löwenjunges (the young of certain animals) · ia ursino (the young of certain animals) · fi ketunpentu (young fox) · da rævehvalp (young fox) · eo lupido (the young of certain animals) · ar هِجْرِس (young fox) · pt cachorro (the young of certain animals) · cmn 幼獸 /幼兽 (the young of certain animals) · he גּוּר (the young of certain animals) · de Fuchswelpe (young fox) · ru etc. (the young of certain animals) · ka ლეკვი (young fox) · fa توله (the young of certain animals) · hy ձագ (the young of certain animals) · de Eisbärjunges (the young of certain animals) · ru волчо́нок (the young of certain animals) · de Braunbärenjunges (the young of certain animals) · ru медвежо́нок (the young of certain animals) · ba бала (the young of certain animals) · ia lupino (the young of certain animals) · mn үнэгний зулзага (young fox) · grc σκύλαξ (young fox) · vo renarül (young fox) · ka ლეკვი (the young of certain animals) · it see bear cub (the young of certain animals) · el σκύμνος (the young of certain animals) · pt cria (the young of certain animals) · de Fuchsbaby (young fox) · unm màxkwtët (the young of certain animals) · nl welp (the young of certain animals) · tr tilki yavrusu (young fox) · ru детёныш (the young of certain animals) · ar شِبْل (the young of certain animals) · es osezno (the young of certain animals) · mn гавар (young fox) · es lobezno (the young of certain animals) · ca cadell (the young of certain animals) · it fox cub (the young of certain animals) · ia leonino (the young of certain animals) · de Welpe (the young of certain animals) · nl welp (young fox) · as পোৱালী (the young of certain animals) · mk младенче (the young of certain animals) · pt filhote (the young of certain animals) · eu kume (the young of certain animals) · de Eisbärenjunges (the young of certain animals) · pl młode (the young of certain animals) · eo tigrido (the young of certain animals) · ru львёнок (the young of certain animals) · de Pandajunges (panda) (the young of certain animals) · de Wolfsjunges (the young of certain animals) · hi शावक (the young of certain animals) · fr cheau (the young of certain animals) · es leoncillo (the young of certain animals) · la catulus (the young of certain animals) · sa पोत (the young of certain animals) · io foxyuno (young fox) · dik adur (the young of certain animals) · ar دَيْسَم (the young of certain animals) · gd isean (the young of certain animals) · de Gepardenjunges (the young of certain animals) · ru лисёнок (the young of certain animals) · af welpie (the young of certain animals) · ia vulpino (young fox) · eu azerikume (young fox) · bg кутре (the young of certain animals) · it etc (the young of certain animals) · sq këlysh (the young of certain animals) · ka ბოკვერი (the young of certain animals) · mt ferħ (the young of certain animals) · fr etc. (the young of certain animals) · fr louveteau (the young of certain animals) · fr renardeau (the young of certain animals) · ro pui (the young of certain animals) · eo leonido (the young of certain animals) · hy կորյուն (the young of certain animals) · ru тигрёнок (the young of certain animals) · rsk младе (the young of certain animals) · fr petit (the young of certain animals) · hu rókafi (young fox) · mn бамбарууш (the young of certain animals) · cs mládě (the young of certain animals) · tr yavru (the young of certain animals) · eo ursido (the young of certain animals) · de Tigerbaby (the young of certain animals) · ja 子 (the young of certain animals) · hy քոթոթ (the young of certain animals) · ru лисёнок (young fox) · hu bocs (the young of certain animals) · es cachorro (the young of certain animals) · da unge (the young of certain animals) · sh mladunče (the young of certain animals) · mn зулзага (the young of certain animals) · ka ბელი (the young of certain animals) · de Tigerjunges (the young of certain animals) · st tawana (the young of certain animals) · cmn 崽 (the young of certain animals) · da ræveunge (young fox) · ale chiidax̂ (the young of certain animals) · es lobato (the young of certain animals) · is yrðlingur (young fox) · eo vulpido (young fox)